Abbess
/ˈæb.ɛs/noun
A woman who is the superior of a convent or nunnery.
Did you know?“Abbess” derives from Aramaic abba, “father,” a title later applied to female monastic superiors through the Latin feminine form abbatissa.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical and Late Antique Semitic
Aramaic
abba
“Father; a respectful form of address for a father or elder.”
1st Century
Greek
abbas
“Father; a transliteration of Aramaic abba used in early Christian texts.”
4th–5th Century
Late Latin
abbas
“Abbot or spiritual father of a monastery.”
6th Century
Late Latin
abbatissa
“Female superior of a monastery; the feminine form of abbas.”
Old English period
Old English
abbudisse
“Abbess; a woman directing a religious community.”
14th Century
Middle English
abbesse
“A female head of a convent or nunnery.”
Modern English
English
abbess
“A woman who is the superior of a convent or nunnery.”